Contract Video Conference Curtains

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GENERAL VIDEOCONFERENCE

TIPS ON DECOR

What size of room should I use?

A few general rules remain constant when planning any room. There are specific colour schemes, lighting, furniture and acoustics that are standard for video conferencing. When getting started your primary focus should be the number of people that will be participating in the videoconferences. The number of people will dictate what the size of room should be, what kind of furniture you should use and the type of system that is required.

For smaller meetings a square room is acceptable, however for meetings with four or more people, a rectangular room should be used. The best shape for a video conferencing room is a tapered rectangle.

Two entrances to the room are ideal so that participants are able to enter the room and sit down without walking in front of the camera. The entrances should be on the camera wall or the walls perpendicular to the camera and closest to the camera. The wall behind the participants should not have any doors or windows and the users should be positioned at one end of the room and the camera positioned at the other end.

Pay close attention to the HVAC system in the room. Does it create a lot of noise that could muffle transmissions? Carpets, curtains, acoustical ceiling tile and cushioned chairs will absorb most of the reverberations. Bookshelves, windows and file cabinets will reflect sound and make it difficult for participants to hear.

The videoconference room should be in a remote area that is immune to surrounding noise. Locate the room away from the cafeteria or any gathering place in the office. It is also a good idea to place a red light or sign outside the room to forewarn others that a conference is in process.

Yes! The best choice in paint colour is a light blue, light grey or cream. The worst colour is white. White creates too much of a contrast and can literally erase the faces of participants with dark skin tones from the camera's view. A light coloured conference table will reflect light upward and makes shadows disappear from the users' faces. Avoid patterns that are large, striped or repeated on furniture, walls or clothing. The room does not have to be monochromatic. Just keep it simple.

Many companies will wish to place their logo behind the person at the head of the table. That is fine as long as the logo is not reflective or dark in colour. If you are placing artwork or plants make sure they are not in the camera's view and avoid placing centrepieces on the conference table. Place two wall clocks in the room to track the time of both parties. It could be lunch time or quitting time in an alternative time zone.

Use a table or group of tables, that tapers and allows the camera to see all of the participants' faces. The table should also have power and data connections for personal computers and other equipment.

Chairs should be padded and comfortable. They should not rock or roll, wheels squeak when they roll and the rocking motion provides a distracting activity for camera shy users.

Cabinetry for the videoconferencing equipment should have power and cable management. It should be sturdy and enclosed and can lock up the system for security reasons. For videoconferencing systems with duel monitors and cameras, a bookcase or entertainment centre type of cabinetry should be used.

The room should have indirect fluorescent lighting. The light should shine upwards and reflect evenly off the ceiling. When downlights are used they create shadows on the participants' faces. If there are any windows anywhere in the room make sure to have blocking shades to use during videoconferences. Light shining into the camera will turn the image of the participants into silhouettes.